Love and Death on Long Island

Name: Love and Death on Long Island
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: March 6, 1998
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Fiona Loewi, Jason Priestley, John Hurt

1998

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 19 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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Love And Death On Long Island

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Movie Details & Credits

Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment | Release Date: March 6, 1998 | PG-13

Starring: Fiona Loewi, Jason Priestley, John Hurt

Summary: A stuffy British novelist becomes infatuated with a cinematic teen idol and sets out to meet him.

Director: Richard Kwietniowski

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 94 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Lisa Schwarzbaum

A highly original Death in Venice-scented comedy drama written and directed with flair by British feature novice Richard Kwietniowski. Read full review

David Denby

Writer-director Richard Kwietniowski has never made a feature before, but this debut effort is a triumph, a buoyant and elegant achievement -- romantic and ruminative yet always precise, a comedy of longing propelled by a strong current of satirical observation. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

A witty, canny meditation on the power of pop culture in general and the rationalizations of cinephilia and film criticism in particular. Read full review

David Rooney

This is arguably Hurt's best role in years, and he bites into it with relish, managing to seem both manipulative and vulnerable, dour and droll at the same time. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Despite the many laughs Love and Death offers, it never takes cheap shots. It has a vibrant, beating heart - and that makes the comedy all the more worthwhile. Read full review

Edward Guthmann

Directed with style and wit by London filmmaker Richard Kwietniowski, who makes his feature debut here, Love and Death is an off-kilter romantic comedy. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

The interactions between the raspy-voiced Hurt and various shallowly cheerful Americans are genuinely charming and dynamic. Read full review

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User Reviews

DawdlingPoet

Nov 22, 2021

This is really quite a surreal watch - its a satirical film of sorts, a quite thought provoking one with good performances from John Hurt and Jason Priestly as the 2 main characters (Charles De'ath and Ronnie Bostock). Its got quite an arty feel to it. I felt the ending was a little suddenThis is really quite a surreal watch - its a satirical film of sorts, a quite thought provoking one with good performances from John Hurt and Jason Priestly as the 2 main characters (Charles De'ath and Ronnie Bostock). Its got quite an arty feel to it. I felt the ending was a little sudden but it was certaining a memorably quirky watch which overall I'd recommend, not least as it deals with the important issues of fame and obsession.… Expand

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stevekm

Nov 14, 2022

I don't get all the high ratings from Metacritic and Ebert, this movie started out with a wacky premise and just kept going. As happens sometimes, the critics gave it high scores, the viewers just so-so.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JayH.

Jul 5, 2009

What a nasty unpleasant film. I am usually not this far off from the critics. I found it boring and useless. Go figure. John Hurt was good, but the film was so pretentious and uninvolving. Yuk.

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JaredC.

Aug 8, 2007

Terribly corny and awfully precedented. Avoid at all costs.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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14	#14 Best Movie of 1998
95	#95 Most Discussed Movie of 1998